first time to range

[jorgefreitas]

taking my sister to the range for the first time to shoot hand guns ane suggestions on how to start besides all the safety rules

 

[TheWookie]

taking my sister to the range for the first time to shoot hand guns ane suggestions on how to start besides all the safety rules

My two cents - some weapon familiarization, range rules if not covered in the safety brief, dry firing, malfunctions and stoppages with some immediate action drills -- keep it simple and light. You can't over-emphasize safety. Good luck, have fun, be safe.

 

[jorgefreitas]

thanks she want to get her NH ccl so i am trying to get her familiar with the fire arms and find one she is comfortable caring

 

[KMaurer]

Make sure she's using good nearing protection. It will minimize the worst effects of "recoil". Let her try a variety of handguns before you start shooting so that she's familiar with their feel, and pick one that is comfortable in her hands. Start with dry fire and watch her trigger press carefully.

Ken

 

[jorgefreitas]

thanks for all the advice it helped allot my sis had a grate time know i have to shair my toys with her

 

[TonyT]

taking my sister to the range for the first time to shoot hand guns ane suggestions on how to start besides all the safety rules

In addition to the safety rulles do her a favor and start her with a gun in 22 LR and famniliarize her with the #1 rule - pay attention to the front sight! When she becomes proficient with the 22 than advance her to a 9mm or 38 Special. I have seen more people loose interest in shooting after being taken out for the first time and being handed a lkarge caliber handgun before they gain proficiency with handling and sight picture.

 

[Cross-X]

In addition to the safety rulles do her a favor and start her with a gun in 22 LR and famniliarize her with the #1 rule - pay attention to the front sight! When she becomes proficient with the 22 than advance her to a 9mm or 38 Special. I have seen more people loose interest in shooting after being taken out for the first time and being handed a lkarge caliber handgun before they gain proficiency with handling and sight picture.

Great idea to have her start with a .22. She should only trade up to 9 or .38 when she feels she's ready.

 

[center442]

In addition to the safety rulles do her a favor and start her with a gun in 22 LR and famniliarize her with the #1 rule - pay attention to the front sight! When she becomes proficient with the 22 than advance her to a 9mm or 38 Special. I have seen more people loose interest in shooting after being taken out for the first time and being handed a lkarge caliber handgun before they gain proficiency with handling and sight picture.

Yep. I've seen idiots do this and then laugh at the new shooter's reaction. Really funny, huh? They've almost guaranteed that the victim of this stupidity will never want to go shooting again.

Nice way to encourage folks to get into the sport.

 

[securityboy]

My two cents - some weapon familiarization, range rules if not covered in the safety brief, dry firing, malfunctions and stoppages with some immediate action drills -- keep it simple and light. You can't over-emphasize safety. Good luck, have fun, be safe.

Not a big deal but I got to disagree with some of that...girls (or anyones) first time to the range, with hand gun (or any type of gun) should be on the fundementals, proper grip, sight allignment (front sight focus), trigger press...probably mostly on a .22 or light 38... Of course safety is #1, but don't over complicate a first trip...

I guess my disagreement comes from

... stoppages with some immediate action drills -- keep it simple and light.

I don't think that is simple and light for a first trip...especially if you are inducing stoppages to force a tap/rack...way to much for a first timer to need to worry about...its real simple, with a first time shooter, all you got to tell them is "if it doesn't go bang, assume it is still loaded, keep it pointed in a safe direction, and take you finger off the trigger, and we'll address the problem together" because I assume you will more or less be "standing over" the new shooter till they get comfortable...

 

[TheWookie]

should be on the fundementals, proper grip, sight allignment (front sight focus), trigger press......

Oh yeah, I hear what you're saying - keep it light and just talk about the fundamentals.. sight alignment, trigger control, sight picture, breathing, proper grip, correct stance, that's always a light conversation for a 1st time shooter.

Good point...thanks securityboy - you sure are swell.

I'm just kidding and being sarcastic with you, I respect your opinion, but I'm still gonna stick to my way on this one cause I've done it/used it, and it works. I want a 1st time shooter to be safe and to know how to be safe with a weapon, especially one that doesn't do what the instruction booklet says. I don't need them to do IA drills at my pace, or to even be able to do it; but I'd like a 1st time shooter to recognize problems,, and maybe see them apply a little slap, rack, and bang on their own because that's more important to me then trying to teach a 1st time shooter the fundamentals of marksmanship.

They need to be safe, first and foremost. If they hit the bullseye, great - bonus.

But whatever works for you, go for it.

 

[TheWookie]

I'll add this, securityboy, I hear you when you say, "I'll be "standing over a new shooter", so why complicate things by having them do IA or even going into all of that? I understand the point you're making, I really do.

But the main reason why I don't agree with that thinking is because the alternative, will teach a shooter, any shooter male or female, bad habits from the get go -- and bad habits can be a bitch to unlearn.

Many years ago in the USMC, during the 80's and, into the early 90's when I got in and became a PMI, the USMC used to teach Marines that if they had a malfunction or a stoppage on the firing line to raise their hand, and a coach or PMI would come over and correct their problem. This started from day one at the range at bootcamp, and every year when Marines would do their annual rifle requalification the same thing happened on the range.

Well, wouldn't you know -- you fight how you train.

In the 1st Gulf War, Marines, IN COMBAT, were having stoppages and/ or malfunctions and they needed to perform IA - and guess what some did?

Yeah, some raised their hands - in combat - because that's how they were trained from the get go.

So we could go round and round about why I do this, or why you do that with a new shooter. Your way must work for you because you advocate it.

But my way works for me, because I advocate for it, and I'm pretty thick headed on this one.

Shortly after the 1st Gulf War, the Marine Corps changed that whole system of having a shooter raise their hand on the firing line when they have a problem. Instead now, at entry level on training day number one, Marines are taught how to perform Immediate Action on their own, as soon as the problem is noticed.

I will always teach basic IA to every new shooter because, to me, it's just as important as anything else I want to cover with a new shooter.

Thanks for listening.

 

[jorgefreitas]

all grate advice thanks. on her first trip she started with a .22 and worked her way up to a 1911 .45 she rely liked the ppk in.308 thats what we r going to work with now

 

[securityboy]

I'll just say this, I've been a "civilian instructor" for well over a decade and have never taught a novice shooter imeadiate action drills on thier first outing, I'd have to check to be 100% sure, but I don't think such drills are even mentioned in any of the literature from any of the basic courses. If they do have a malufunction on the range, I will use it as a "teachable moment" and will get into things like tap/rack, but that is not something I set out to do with a first timer.

I see teaching someone how to shoot/be comfortable shooting as almost completely different than teaching "combat" shooting (be it military of LE). You see I am also one of my departments firearms instructors, so I understand what you are saying, with regard to you fight how you train. And to be honest, I have never seen one of my guys do it, but I have at least once seen a guy from another dept raise his hand during qualification becasue he jammed. That situation was quickly corrected, and I don't mean the jam

 

[ASHDUMP]

You said, "teachable moment".